Croatia’s fire‑fighting season reaches record intensity

The Croatian Ministry of Defence reported that the peak of the 2024 fire‑fighting season was more intense than in previous years, with the 855th fire‑fighting squadron engaging in the suppression of 33 fires along the Adriatic coast. Colonel Milan Došen, commander of the squadron, said, “We are ready to respond to all tasks, both in Croatia and Europe under the RescEU programme.”

From 15 June to 21 July the squadron logged eight hours of combat flights, fighting 12 fires in Šibenik‑Knin, 11 in Split‑Dalmatia, seven in Dubrovnik‑Neretva, two in Zadar and one in Lika‑Senj. In addition, 20 aerial reconnaissance missions were carried out along the coast. Since the start of the second phase of the season, a total of 2,508 flights were performed, amounting to 368 hours 35 minutes, dropping 12,142 tonnes of water, transporting nine persons and four tonnes of cargo, and using 8,394 L of foam. Two unmanned aircraft were also deployed twice.

The Croatian Fire Service submitted 128 requests for aerial assistance this year, prompting 3,019 flights, 447 hours 20 minutes of flight time, the release of 14,367 tonnes of water and the consumption of 8,553 L of foam, underscoring the scale of the operations required.